Why does a guy with 5 plus or better pitches need a new pitch? Pitches have never been his problem. " Hey Forrest. Workout this winter get/stay in shape. Then come to spring training and throw fastballs. When you get that down pick a 2nd pitch. Then a 3rd. When you have those 3 working keep them working until you have a few MLB starts. Then start working on pitches #4,5, and 6."
Rage. That is so stupid. They could generate so much more revenue with a cheap annual rate (something like $10-15/year) or if they partnered with other outlets to be part of a valuable bundle. Similar to how frustrating it is to try and watch the Astros on tv (minimum $60/mo just to get att). So much of getting fans more engaged could be so easy if they’d just stop trying to bilk people.
That's the way he's always sounds, and that's the public interviews. All about what "he knows" not all of the experienced people that try and give him advice. He's openly stated that people tried to tell him what would work and he pretty much ignored them because he knows best. I can only imagine what an insufferable asswipe he is in private. All the success this organization has had, with far better pitchers at the highest levels, and this punk who hasn't even had consistent minor league success won't listen.
I don't know what he said that was all that bad. Surely he's conceited and self absorbed, but so are likely a lot of these people. Whitley has the goods to get paid tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to throw a ball. That probably makes you a little conceited. Still, I think he's taking the right approach in that don't let being your best get in the way of simply being good. Record outs. Get good first and then worry about striking out every hitter you face.
This might be a silly question, but do any starters not throw either a slider or curveball? It seems like there’s not a wide variety of break between a fastball, cutter, sinker, change up mix. Not a scout though, so would be interested in the answer.
Wow! lots of hate for Whitley. I guess I am the only one among us that thought I was really smart when I was a kid. On top of which I was also a smart ass. I began to grow out of that first thing and at about the same age as Forest is right now I became much less insufferable. I am however still a smart ass.
Cal Quantril and Tyler Anderson rarely throw curves (<3%), but that's as close as it gets to a starter that doesn't throw a slider or a curve.
Thanks for clearing it up. That article says his curveball is lagging behind and he ditched the slider. I’m assuming he’ll need to find the curveball and make sure he’s staying in the strike zone to have success.
Did he ditch it? He threw a bunch of sliders his last appearance along with a bunch of changeups. His changeup has probably been his best pitch since returning this year.
Were those sliders or cutters? I'm guessing those were cutters. Not as much vertical break as most hard sliders.
“Whitley’s arsenal is based around the hoppy, four-seam fastball with carry toward the top of the strike zone. He said his changeup and cutter have performed well since surgery, while his curveball continues to be a work in progress. Whitley is pleased with the shape of the pitch but is struggling to throw it in the strike zone.” From the article. Saw no mention of a slider, but it is The Houston Chronicle.
How would Whitleys personality fit in with the Astros locker room? The current squad is loved because of guys like Altuve. Even A guy like Bregman could be seen as cocky but he integrates well on this team. I am not sure if Whitley would be more Bregman or Corsart/Bauer.
I'm guessing Whitley calls it a cutter. There is a fine line between cutter and slider, and baseball savant has decided to call it a slider. Considering he's in the Astros system, it is more likely a cutter.
From what I hear, think of a White Yasiel Puig. All the talent in the world, but unwilling to set aside a massive ego.
Unpopular take. I get that he’s been disappointing. But I feel like the personality issues have been a bit exaggerated on the board. Of course you want him to take advice from the coaching staff and be a little more self aware, but some of that can be blamed on youth. Skipping out on the learning/growing experience a lot of us experienced in college and going straight to being a professional athlete. He’s running out of time to mature but I’d assume the Astros still see something in him if he hasn’t been traded or cut yet. If he’s manages to pitch well enough to make it to the bigs, I think he deserves a clean slate.
"Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You'll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes. Think classy and you'll be classy. If you win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back on your shower shoes and the press will think you're colorful." I tend to think most pitchers from the US are divas and a lot of pitchers have had careers come to an end due to injuries. It happening while in minors, it is due to lack of maturity. Have one good season in the show and his attitude is colorful.
Everyone loves egotistical superstars, nobody likes delusional scrubs. It ain’t just Americans either, anyone remember Francis Martes a few years ago?
He’s been in the system for 6 years. He’s way past “boyz will be boyz” age. He’s so much closer to not having a career at all than he thinks. He’s playing with grown men at the AAA level. Hopefully he gets the message that he’s a professional and should act like it.
